Bugs Can Fly, Cats cannot
by joydragon
Summary: A close scrape with death, public identity reveals, and hesitant doubts of feelings. Your typical MLB angsty fic with a happy ending.


MLB is my new bullshit that I am back on. Haven't been around much, sorry friends. Rarely get the urge to write nowadays.

I know I've been primarily a Fairy Tail writer so branching out into new characters is weird. As always, putting a bit of my soul into my stories and hope you can feel that :3

-Joy

* * *

**Bugs Can Fly, Cats... cannot.**

Welp. This is what Chat Noir gets when he tries to take down an Akuma alone.

Sure, he cataclysmed the Akuma alright, and sure, Marinette was safely on the Eiffel Tower not in danger anymore. But the same could not be said for him.

His baton was on the tower, but that would not help him now as he was in the air. Falling. Damn his luck.

Guess I'll die...

Chat gasped in horror as he watched Marinette reach out for him, literally taking a running leap and jumping for him.

_No. Not her._

He couldn't save her. They were both going to die now. Marinette, his friend, the lovely, bright, gifted girl he was privileged to be friends with, was going to die because of him. Her pure, kind heart had just wanted to help him, and he doomed her.

"MARINETTE!?" He choked. Why? Why had she jumped after him?!

His baton nowhere in sight, nothing to grab onto, his transformation about to wear off in seconds... He couldn't save himself, let alone her.

"TIKI SPOTS ON NOW!" Marinette screamed, her eyes wide with terror as the ground quickly approached them.

Chat gasped as he watched Marinette become covered in the magical red and black suit, becoming His Lady right before his eyes. That's why Ladybug never came to his aide, she was being held hostage by the Akuma and couldn't reveal herself. It was her all along. _Marinette. _It made perfect sense, but it didn't matter because he was going to die still.

She was too far away. They wouldn't make it.

"Marinette!" He yelled over the wind whipping by their ears. "My Lady, I love you!"

He had to tell her before it was too late.

"Shut up and take my hand!" She reached for him, tears were sliding down her face, sliding off into the air around them. Even now she was so beautiful.

He reached out, but their fingertips were inches apart. He watched as his clawed hand became normal skin as Plagg couldn't hold the transformation any longer. Plagg cuddled into his chest, shaking because there was nothing he could do for his chosen. You couldn't cataclysm gravity.

Ladybug's eyes widened with recognition as his mask disappeared.

"Come _on_, Adrien, take my hand, _dammit._" She cried out. If she used her yoyo to grab him there'd be no way to stop them both from becoming pancakes on the ground. It's a shame she didn't have two of them.

Adrien reached and reached. It wasn't possible.

"_Please,_ Marinette, just save yourself. Please!"

"NO!" She yelled in determination. "Lucky charm!"

Her prayer was answered. Another Miraculous yoyo.

Quickly, she simultaneously used one to pull Adrien to her as the other snagged around a pole of the Eiffel Tower. She quickly pulled them both in so Adrien could latch onto her and they barely avoided the hard, unforgiving pavement as the other line whizzed them back up. Ladybug screeched in pain as it felt like her arm dislodged- but she didn't dare let go of that line as it pulled them away from the ground.

They swung back and forth like a pendulum until the momentum ceased. They hung in the air, gasping for breath as they clung to each other, shaking, crying, relieved.

Adrien pulled back slightly from where he had hid his face in her neck. "That... is going to take some therapy to get over..."

Ladybug snorted. "And a hospital, Kitty. I think my arm is dislocated."

"Oh my god!" Adrien shouted as he observed her arm. It definitely did not look how it was supposed to. "Marinette let us down! How are you even still holding us up?!"

"Don't worry, it's gone numb."

"That _is_ worrying, My Lady!"

She sighed. "You realize, there are citizens and reporters on the ground. And both of our identities were just revealed. And... the victim is now alone at the top of the Eiffel Tower with the still akumatized butterfly around..."

"You don't think if you threw up your Lucky Charm they'd all just go away?" Adrien did a half smile.

Ladybug hummed, considering it. "I don't know, but I'll try Chaton. Hold on to me, I have to let you go."

Adrien frowned in concern as he tried to maneuver his arms to have a secure hold and not put pressure on her arm. Her skin was getting paler by the minute. Superhero or not, he wouldn't be surprised if she passed out from the pain. Being in the suits gave them a higher pain tolerance, probably the only reason she wasn't bawling her eyes out currently.

Carefully, Ladybug detached the second yoyo from around Adrien's waist and chucked it up in the air, exclaiming "Miraculous Ladybug!"

The red magic spun around them, correcting things as they should be. Marinette sighed in heavy relief as her arm was miraculously pain-free and where it was supposed to be.

"I didn't know it could heal injuries." She murmured. She had never been injured so badly, thankfully. Maybe the magic did whatever was needed.

"I'm glad." Adrien smiled, tucking some hair behind her ear. She felt her face heat up beneath her mask.

"Uh... we... I'm- gah!" She spluttered, her face growing red. "We should down go! Go down, I mean!"

Adrien blinked, removing his hand from her face. He almost looked like he was pouting for a moment, but Marinette couldn't be sure.

"Maybe you should try to catch the akuma first, we don't want another repeat with what happened last time we didn't purify it.." Adrien's brows furrowed. That was not a fun time.

Ladybug nodded, drawing her yoyo in and sending them both upwards towards the Eiffel Tower. She dislodged and threw it again and again until they were to the top. Setting Adrien down, he rushed to the aid of the akumatized victim to comfort them while she searched for the dark butterfly.

As always, luck was on her side. She was able to capture and purify the akuma before her transformation wore off. She caught Tikki in her palm.

"What are we going to do Tikki? All of Paris knows our identities now, caught everything on film..."

Tikki smiled mischievously, a look not often seen on the kwami. "Don't underestimate the magic of the Ladybug miraculous, Marinette. I think you'll find the only one who knows your identity is Chat himself."

Marinette blinked down at her kwami. How could that be? Could... the miraculous erase memories?

Adrien walked back over to her. "The victim is already on the elevator heading down. I'm not in a rush to go deal with all those reporters though..."

"Tikki just said our covers weren't blown?" Marinette gestured to the kwami in her hand, reaching into her purse to grab her a cookie.

Adrien blinked down at the red kwami. "Nice to meet you officially Tikki!" He dug into his shirt pocket, pulling out Plagg who was already munching on the spare cheese hidden within his pockets. "This is Plagg."

The small black cat kwami was still slightly shaking, not wanting to leave the comfort of his holder. He simply nodded at both Tikki and Marinette, choosing not to speak. He'd lost kittens before, but none so young and pure as Adrien. He'd need some time to recover.

"Suit up and head back down. You'll see what I mean." Tikki said cryptically.

It wasn't until they were settled up in Marinette's room watching the Ladyblog did they finally see what Tikki had meant. They were epically confused when the reporters weren't in any more of a frenzy than usual. They had answered questions, ensured that Paris was safe, and headed back to the bakery to talk things out.

The video posted from today's akuma attack showed _Ladybug_ jumping off the Eiffel tower to save Chat Noir. Who _stayed_ Chat Noir as she whisked them back up to the top of the tower. No identities revealed on tape- even though those two knew the whole truth.

"So..." Adrien started. "The Ladybug miraculous can rewrite people's memories?"

Tikki, who was laying atop Marinette's head, answered, "I suppose that's one way to put it. The magic of the miraculous will do whatever it takes to keep up the glamour in order to protect your identities. Even if it has to twist some events and confuse people."

Marinette hummed. "Is that also why we couldn't recognize each other, even though we see each other everyday?"

Tikki nodded. "Yes, and why Plagg and I couldn't tell you two the truth either. Our own magic prevents us from revealing your secrets."

Plagg chose to enter the conversation then, "I just didn't say anything cause it was hilarious seeing you two morons dodge each other constantly."

"Well, I think we're done with that nonsense, don't you think so Adrien?" Marinette smiled cheekily. Chat was in love with Ladybug so... Adrien was in love with her right?

Adrien tackled her on the chaise as they giggled, "Absolutely! No more dodging my affections, Mari!"

She circled her arms around him and pecked his cheek. "Wouldn't dream of it, Kitty."


End file.
